1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photosensitive material magazine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photosensitive material magazine in which a roll of photosensitive material is contained, and in which the photosensitive material can be fed and wound back in a state free from being scratched or damaged.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A photographic printer is loaded with a photographic paper magazine, which accommodates a photographic paper roll. The paper magazine includes a magazine case and an openable lid, the magazine case containing the photographic paper roll. A support shaft is contained in the magazine case in a removable and rotatable manner, and supports the photographic paper roll. The support shaft is constituted by right and left shafts coupled together in the axial direction. Those are inserted in axial end holes at ends of a winding spool of the photographic paper roll, and firmly interconnected as a single support shaft. Flanges are secured to the right and left shafts, and contact end faces of the photographic paper roll to neaten paper turns.
Photographic paper must be handled in a light-shielded state before it can be inserted in the paper magazine. JP-A 6-161052 discloses a use of light-shielding sheets, which are formed from plastic material such as polyethylene terephthalate, and fully wrap the photographic paper roll. The light-shielding sheets include a light-shielding leading sheet and light-shielding lateral sheets. The light-shielding leading sheet has a strip shape, and has a rear end attached to a front end of the photographic paper by adhesive tape. The light-shielding leading sheet has a width equal to or slightly greater than that of the photographic paper, and wraps the outermost turn of the photographic paper to shield light. The light-shielding lateral sheets are spliced to lateral edges of the light-shielding leading sheet as viewed in the longitudinal direction. The light-shielding lateral sheets are disposed to cover the two end faces of the photographic paper roll, and have outer ends inserted in and attached to the axial end holes of the winding spool. Thus, the elements are shielded from ambient light, including the edges of the peripheral face and the axial end holes of the winding spool.
Spliced portions between the light-shielding leading sheet and the light-shielding lateral sheets are structured for being broken easily. Only if the front end of the light-shielding leading sheet is pulled forcibly, the light-shielding leading sheet can be broken away from the light-shielding lateral sheets. Immediately after this, the front end continues being pulled, so that the photographic paper is pulled out after the light-shielding leading sheet. After the front end the photographic paper is pulled out of the paper magazine, the light-shielding leading sheet is cut away.
In FIG. 18, a state of the photographic paper roll secured to the support shaft is depicted. In the drawing, a winding spool 17 is supported by a support shaft 14. Flanges 15 and 16 are disposed at ends of the support shaft 14. There is photographic paper 13, which has a front end with a light-shielding leading sheet 10 secured thereto. Light-shielding lateral sheets 11 and 12 are spliced to the light-shielding leading sheet 10 along spliced portions 18 and 19.
After the light-shielding leading sheet 10 is removed, the light-shielding lateral sheets 11 and 12 remain between the end faces of the photographic paper 13 and the flanges 15 and 16 in a state where broken sheets 11a and 12a being bent back toward the peripheral face are deposited.
The printer draws out the photographic paper from the paper magazine, and subjects the same to a printing process. Should the unused portion of the photographic paper remain drawn out of the magazine, it is likely that the portion is fogged or exposed after the printing process. Thus, the photographic paper is wound back into the magazine by rotating the support shaft backwards, to dispose the front end inside the magazine or to the vicinity of the passageway.
However, the photographic paper 13 if wound back becomes mounted on the broken sheets 11a and 12a which are the unwanted remainder of the light-shielding lateral sheets 11 and 12. It is likely that lateral edges of the photographic paper 13 extending in the longitudinal direction are frictionally contacted and scratched by the broken sheets 11a and 12a. Quality in the printing may be lowered, as the printed density may be conspicuously changed at the lateral edges.
The smaller the diameter of the roll of the photographic paper 13, the longer a contacted lateral portion of the photographic paper 13 contacted by the flange 15 or 16 at the time of winding back. So quality in the printing may be lowered because the damaged lateral portions of the photographic paper 13 may be extremely long.
In view of the foregoing problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a photosensitive material magazine in which a roll of photosensitive material is contained, and in which the photosensitive material can be fed and wound back in a state free from being scratched or damaged, specifically in portions of lateral edges.
In order to achieve the above and other objects and advantages of this invention, a photosensitive material magazine, for containing a photosensitive material roll of photosensitive material, includes a magazine case. A support shaft is contained in the magazine case in a rotatable manner, and secured to an axis of the photosensitive material roll in a rotationally immovable manner. First and second flanges are disposed on the support shaft, for neatening end faces of the photosensitive material roll. A passageway is formed in the magazine case, for passage of the photosensitive material in and out. A receiving portion is formed to project from an edge portion of the first flange toward the second flange, for defining a passage space between edges thereof, the passage space allowing passage of the photosensitive material extending from the photosensitive material roll toward the passageway, wherein when the support shaft is rotated in a winding direction, the receiving portion temporarily winds a portion of the photosensitive material extending out of the passage space.
The support shaft is rotatable in an unwinding direction and the winding direction. Furthermore, a bearing device secures the first and second flanges to the support shaft, changeable in first and second states, for setting the first flange rotatable relative to the support shaft, and for setting the first flange rotationally immovable relative to the support shaft. While the photosensitive material is drawn from the photosensitive material roll, the bearing device is in the first state, for allowing the support shaft to rotate in the unwinding direction relative to the first flange stopped by the photosensitive material and the receiving portion. When the support shaft is rotated in the winding direction, the bearing device is in the second state, for rotating the first flange together with the support shaft, thereby temporarily to wind the photosensitive material on the receiving portion.
The photosensitive material roll includes a tubular winding spool on which the photosensitive material is wound in a roll form. The bearing device includes first and second cores, fitted in respectively first and second ends of the winding spool, having first and second axial holes in which the support shaft is fitted, for transmitting rotation of the support shaft to the photosensitive material roll. First and second axial openings are formed in the first and second flanges, for receiving insertion of the first and second cores.
The bearing device further includes first and second bearing mechanisms for keeping the first and second flanges rotatable about the first and second cores, thereby to set the first state. A braking mechanism is actuated when rotational torque applied between the first flange and the first core is smaller than a limit torque, for keeping the first flange stationary on the first core by braking, thereby to set the second state.
The first core includes an outer end portion and an inner end portion, the outer end portion is inserted in the first axial hole, and the inner end portion is secured to the first end of the winding spool. Each of the first and second bearing mechanisms includes plural bearing rollers, secured to an outer face of the first flange in a rotatable manner, disposed close to the first axial hole, for contacting one portion of the outer end portion of the first core, to keep the first core rotatable about the first flange.
The braking mechanism includes a first contact surface formed in the first flange. A second contact surface is formed in the first core, for frictionally contacting the first contact surface.
The receiving portion includes plural receiving pins arranged in a substantially equidistant manner from the axis.
Furthermore, plural auxiliary bearing mechanisms support respectively plural receiving pins on the first flange in a rotatable manner.
In a preferred embodiment, furthermore, holes are formed in the second flange, for coming through of the receiving pins. The receiving pins are inserted in the holes with the photosensitive material roll positioned between the first and second flanges.
In another preferred embodiment, the receiving portion includes plural arc-shaped receiving ridges arranged in a substantially equidistant manner from the axis.
The receiving portion further includes plural guide pins arranged close to the plural arc-shaped receiving ridges, having a curved surface, for preventing the photosensitive material from being damaged in passage between the plural receiving ridges.
In still another preferred embodiment, the receiving portion comprises a first group of plural receiving portions. Furthermore, a second group of plural receiving portions are formed to project from an edge portion of the second flange toward the first group, and adapted for temporarily winding a portion of the photosensitive material drawn from the photosensitive material roll.
Furthermore, plural guide pins are formed to project from the edge portion of the first flange, and arranged about a peripheral surface of the photosensitive material roll. Plural holes are formed through the edge portion of the second flange, for receiving the plural guide pins in a slidable manner.
The photosensitive material magazine is used with a printer, the printer includes a motor for rotating in first and second directions. A feeder roller is driven by the motor, for feeding the photosensitive material from the photosensitive material roll while the motor rotates in the first direction. A clutch mechanism is secured between the motor and the support shaft, for disconnecting the support shaft from the motor while the motor rotates in the first direction, and for causing the support shaft to rotate together with the feeder roller while the motor rotates in the second direction.